Moments
by cjgirl8590
Summary: Moments are important things. Entire stories can be told. Details can become clearer. Series of one-shots from another galaxy. Rated T for language and mild suggestive themes.
1. In Remembrance Of

**A/N: Most of these scenes are ones that I've thought about during my many play-throughs of the game. Some are actual scenes from the game, told my way. They don't go exactly according to the game, but I tried to keep it as close as possible. Also tried to keep them in chronological order.**

**A/N: I do not own Mass** Effect.

Chapter 1: In Remembrance Of

_Sara deals with the aftermath of her father's death..._

Her father was dead.

Sara couldn't believe it. Not that she didn't trust Cora and Liam, but she still couldn't quite grasp that her father, the seemingly invincible Alec Ryder, was really gone. Things had finally been going their way on Habitat 7, then, all of a sudden, it was over.

"Captain Dunn needs you on the bridge," Cora said quietly, "whenever you're ready."

Sara swallowed back her grief and looked up. "Where are his things?"

"What things?" Liam asked.

"The stuff he had with him when he..." She couldn't bring herself to say the word.

"They're in his room," Cora answered.

Sara took a deep breath and stood up. "Show me."

"I checked on your brother, by the way," Liam said. "No change."

Sara nodded. Cora led her out of SAM node and further down the _Hyperion's_ corridor. She stopped at the door at the end. After typing a passcode into the nearby control panel, she stepped aside to let Sara go in.

Sara stepped into her father's quarters. She immediately noticed the plastic container sitting on the bed. His helmet was sticking out of the top. She picked it up.

It hadn't been easy to be Alec Ryder's child. Her father's experiments with AI had made life in the Milky Way difficult for both her and her brother Scott. Even as children, he'd been hard on them. Distant. But despite how much of a stubborn ass he could be, Sara had loved him.

She set the helmet aside and searched through the container until she found what she was looking for. She held up her father's necklace. The worn leather was etched with Polynesian designs, a token of Alec's heritage. _Her_ heritage. A simple gold ring hung from it. Her mother's.

Sara closed her hand around the necklace and fought back tears. She missed her mother so much. Although it had been hundreds of years ago and in a different galaxy, her death still felt like it had been yesterday.

A glint in the bottom of the box caught her eye. Her father's wedding ring. She picked it up and closed her eyes. Her parents were gone. Scott was in a coma. She had no one left.

_"Captain Dunn is waiting for you on the bridge, Pathfinder,"_ SAM reminded her.

Sara nodded. "It's just you and me now, SAM." She slipped her father's ring on the necklace and tied it around her neck.

_"I will endeavor to assist you in any way that I can, Sara."_

She dropped the helmet back into the container and picked it up before turning to Cora.

"I'm ready."


	2. Visiting Hours

Chapter 2: Visiting Hours

_Sara visits her brother and realizes just how alone she feels..._

Sara sat on the edge of the bed. Around her, the sound of beeping equipment and hushed conversations filled the med-bay. In front of her, Scott lay quietly. It had been several weeks since the Scourge incident and there had been no change in Scott's condition since then.

She studied her twin brother. He looked peaceful, like he was asleep. There was a hint of a beard shadowing his face. Sara had always teased him because it took him forever to grow facial hair. She put her hand on his.

"I miss you, Scott," she whispered. "It's...it's hard out here without you. Without Dad. I always pictured the three of us exploring Andromeda together. Finding a way to be a real family for once."

Her voice broke. "Everything seems to have gone wrong ever since we got up. You got hurt. Dad's gone. The new home we were supposed to find turned out to be a lightning-riddled wasteland. I feel like I'm completely on my own."

Sara looked around the med-bay. "Everyone expects me to know what to do. Just because I'm the Pathfinder. But I don't. How am I supposed to lead thousands of people when I have no idea what I'm doing? I...I can't do this on my own. I need you. So you'd better wake up. You hear me, Scott?"

She wiped her eyes and was about to stand up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Dr. Harry Carlyle standing beside her. Harry had been their father's best friend. Over the years, he had often been there for the Ryder twins when their father couldn't.

"I'm sure he heard you, Sara," he said.

Sara looked back at her brother. "I hope so. I could use some family about now."

Harry pulled her to her feet and hugged her. "I know. I'm here. It's not much, but I'm here."

Sara laid her head on his shoulder and let the emotions take over. Harry held her gently and let her cry herself out, just like her father used to when she was a little girl. When her crying subsided, he held her at arms' length. "Better?"

Sara managed to laugh and wiped her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks, Harry."

"You're doing great, kiddo. I know you feel alone right now, but you're not."

Sara nodded. Harry was right. She wasn't alone. She had friends like Harry, ready to help her shoulder the burden. "I've got to go."

Harry briefly squeezed her shoulders. "I'll take care of Scott. You get on out there." He gave her one last hug and kissed her cheek. "You're parents would be proud of you. I know I am."


	3. Cat Fight

Chapter 3: Cat Fight

_Sara doesn't take kindly to people attacking her family..._

"So if you move this bit back here, see how much more easily the shaft turns?" Gil pointed to a piece of the Nomad engine as Jaal looked on.

"I see. And what happens if you move this one as well?"

Gil was about to answer when the cargo bay door opened. They were docked on the Nexus while the Pathfinder met with Director Tann to update him about their progress on Havarl. She also mentioned visiting her brother. In the _Hyperion_ med-bay. Jaal had asked Gil to show him some of the Nomad's systems while they waited, which led to a full-on gearhead session.

They both looked up as the Pathfinder walked up the ramp. She was back early. Her normally neat black hair was mussed and she had a fresh bruise around her eye, as well as a few scratches on her cheek. "What the hell happened to you?" Gil asked, coming over.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Somebody was looking for a fight."

"And you gave it to them. Let me guess, it was Tann."

"No, some girl on the _Hyperion_," Sara said. "Basically, she thinks my dad took advantage of Jien Garson and forced us all to come out here and that we're all gonna die. Long story short, I kinda punched her in the face."

"And this is how she responded?" Jaal asked, pointing to her bruised eye.

"How do you 'kind of' punch someone in the face?" Gil asked.

Sara shrugged. "Things got heated. Nexus security had to separate us," she said, answering both questions.

"Hope you gave her a good fight."

Sara laughed, then rubbed her side. "Hell, yeah. I almost used my biotics on her, but punching her felt so much better. She put up a good fight, though."

"Are you alright? Maybe you should see Dr. T'Perro," Jaal suggested.

"I'm fine. I've been in fights before. I'll just grab some aspirin and medi-gel packs and be as good as new."

Gil crossed his arms. "Why not have Lexi examine you?"

"Cuz she's going to fuss and lecture me about taking care of myself, and I just don't want to deal with that. I'd rather just bite back the pain."

Jaal shook his head. "You really should see her. You could have more serious injuries."

Sara glared at him. "I'm fine," she insisted.

Gil and Jaal looked at each other and nodded. In unison, they each grabbed one of Sara's arms and picked her up. "If you're going to be too stubborn to take care of yourself, we'll step in and do it for you," Gil said over her protests. They carried her down the hall and into the med-bay.

Lexi was working at her desk when they walked in. "What in the- Ryder, what happened?"

"She got into a fight..." Jaal answered.

"...and was refusing to get checked out," Gil finished.

Sara gave them a dirty look. "Traitors..."

"Hey, someone's got to help you stay in one piece," Gil replied.

Lexi immediately began looking over the injuries. "What have I told you about taking care of yourself? Does it hurt anywhere else?"

"My ribs hurt a little. And before you lecture me, know that I had just motivation. Some bitch was disrespecting my dad."

"I'll save the scolding for later. For now, I need you to take off your shirt."

Gil grabbed Jaal's shoulder. "Well, we've done our part. Let's leave them to it, shall we?"

"I'll get revenge on you two later," Sara threatened as they left.

An hour later, Lexi released Sara from the med-bay. Aside from a couple of bruised ribs and a black eye, her injuries were minor. Most of the time had been taken up by the lecture Lexi had insisted on delivering. Sara only escaped when Kallo sent her a message to tell her they were ready to depart.

Gil's omni-tool pinged, alerting him to a new email. It was from Ryder and was short and to the point.

_You guys are in so much trouble for turning me in..._


	4. Bonding Time

Chapter 4: Bonding Time

_Gil and Sara bond over Nomad repairs..._

"I don't understand how you managed to break the axel _again_," Gil grumbled. He was underneath the Nomad, making some much-needed repairs to their ground transport.

"Have you seen the Pathfinder's driving?" Liam asked from across the cargo bay.

Sara threw up her hands. "The kett were shooting at us!"

"And you thought driving over a cliff would help? Positive side, Jaal knows what 'airtime' means now."

Gil pulled himself out from under the vehicle. "I don't think you get it, Ryder. This axel is a titanium-chromium alloy. Two of the strongest metals in existence. And it's cracked."

Sara crossed her arms. "Hey, at least it's just cracked this time and not completely broken in two."

"Yeah, I still don't know how you managed that one," Gil muttered, diving back under the Nomad.

"If you think my driving is bad, you should see Scott's. He totaled three MAKOs during his Alliance training."

"Yeah, no, thanks. I think one Ryder is enough for me for one lifetime."

Sara knelt down so she could talk to him more easily. "I don't know. I think you and Scott would get along really well. You're his kind of guy."

That caught Gil's attention. "Really?"

"Yeah. He's a little more 'rules and regs' than me, and is a bit more level-headed, but if you can put up with me, you'd definitely get along with him. If- _when_ -he wakes up, I'll have to introduce you guys."

"Careful. We might get along _too_ well."

Sara shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

Gil hesitated, then climbed out so they could talk face to face. "Would that...bother you? If your brother and I...?"

"Got together?" Sara finished. She shook her head. "He's the only family I've got left and I just want him to be happy. If being with you is part of that, I'm certainly not going to stand in the way." She grinned. "And at least I'd know that he's in good hands."

"Oh, he'll be in good hand, all right," Gil said with a knowing smile. He slid back under the Nomad.

Sara smiled and shook her head as she stood up. She was about to walk away when Gil's voice stopped her.

"Hey, Ryder?"

"Yeah?"

"You've got us for family, too. You know that, right?"

Sara smiled again. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Gil. I'll be more careful with the Nomad in the future."


	5. Family Matters

Chapter 5: Family Matters

_Sara teaches SAM about the meaning of "family"..._

"Well, that was an interesting day," Sara said, walking into her quarters.

"_Indeed, it was, Pathfinder,"_ SAM agreed. "_The ancient AI will no doubt have much to offer the angara about their history, provided they can establish a bond of trust with it, such as we have."_

Sara tossed her helmet on her bed. "That might take a while. She didn't seem too thrilled to go with them." She paused. "That reminds me. Can you find out the name of that angara who was killed down there? I want to send his family a letter of apology and maybe some credits or something."

"_Done. The information has been sent to your omni-tool."_

"Thanks, SAM." Sara continued removing her armor. "Hopefully the angara _can_ get something out of her. She might just refuse to talk to them."

"_I am curious as to why you chose to return the AI to the angara, rather than keep her on the _Hyperion _as Jaal requested."_

Sara removed her chest piece and tossed it on the bed, then adjusted her t-shirt. "Well, like you said, the angara can learn a lot about their history from her. But between you and me, I don't trust her. She lied to us at least twice just while we were talking to her. And I don't think she's quite all there."

"_Scans show that the AI's data cores were all present."_

"It's a figure of speech, SAM," Sara said, chuckling. "I mean, I don't think she's completely sane. Being alone for that long would drive anyone crazy."

"_It is possible that being with another AI could improve her sanity."_

Sara shook her head. "I wasn't willing to take that chance. Aside from the fact that I don't want a potentially crazy AI to have access to the _Hyperion_ and Nexus systems, I don't want to have access to you."

"_And why is that?"_

Sara sat on the bed. "You're way too important, SAM. Not just to the Initiative, but to me. You may not have a physical body, but you're just as much a part of the _Tempest_ family as anyone."

"_Thank you, Sara. But isn't family determined by bloodlines?"_

"There's an old human saying. I think it goes something like 'family is who you choose it to be.' All of us chose to be on the _Tempest_, and more importantly, chose to _stay_ on the _Tempest_. After everything we've been through so far, we're a family."

"_I will add this data to my memory banks. I feel it pertinent to mention that Alec was the one who chose to transfer my controls to you. In a way, he chose my family for me."_

"Yeah, I guess he did," Sara said quietly, glancing at the nearby table where her father's helmet rested. She'd had his old N7 armor refitted for her, but had gotten a new helmet for herself.

"_I believe he chose well. Had I been given the choice, I believe I would have chosen you for my family, as well, Sara."_

Sara smiled. "Thanks, SAM."


	6. Overheard

Chapter 6: Overheard

_Liam overhears something he wasn't meant to hear..._

Liam couldn't sleep. It had been more than an hour since he'd laid down in his bunk aboard the _Tempest_, and he was no closer to falling asleep. After a full day of exploring planets and fighting off the kett, he should be exhausted.

He rolled over again and reached for the water bottle he kept beside his pillow. Empty.

He looked at the ceiling and sighed. Either he could continue to toss and turn until he fell asleep, or he could go to the kitchen in search of something to drink, and _then_ toss and turn until he fell asleep.

He sighed again and threw back the covers.

The _Tempest_ was silent, except for the quiet hum of the engines. Everyone else was asleep. Liam was halfway down the hall toward the kitchen when he realized the door was open and light was spilling out. He stopped just short of the door when he heard a voice.

"Okay, here's one for you," it said. It sounded like Vetra. "If you had to choose between Liam, Jaal, Reyes Vidal, or...Keri T'Vessa, who would you pick and why?"

Despite his disinterest in girl talk, Liam was intrigued by the question. He was also curious who she was talking to. And what their answer would be. He took a step closer.

"That's kind of a random selection. Why them?" Ryder's voice asked.

"Don't avoid the question, Sara," Vetra said.

"I'm not. I'm just curious why you picked those four."

"Me, too," a third voice added. Definitely Cora.

Vetra paused. "Well, Liam is your species, male, and here on the ship. Jaal is an alien to you, male, and is also here on the ship. Vidal is your species, male, and _not_ on the ship, and T'Vessa is the opposite end of the spectrum."

"Hmmm..." Sara sounded like she was thinking about the choices. "I definitely wouldn't pick Keri. Nothing against the asari, she's just not my type. Don't think I'd pick Liam, either. The other two, though, that's a tough choice."

Liam's heart sank at that comment. He'd had a crush on Sara Ryder ever since they met on the _Hyperion_. To know she didn't return his feelings was hard.

"Why wouldn't you pick Liam?" Cora asked. Liam wanted an answer for that, too.

"Well, look at the competition. Reyes is...intriguing and mysterious. He's got this air of danger around him. And he's charming as hell."

"Plus, he's got a sexy accent," Vetra added.

"Oh, my God, yes. And Jaal is so...exotic. The way he talks is so poetic. His desire to learn is inspiring. And his culture is so open with their feelings. But Liam? Compared to the other two, he's kind of..."

"Boring?" Cora supplied.

"Yeah. He's...safe, I guess. I feel like there's no risk involved with him. Don't get me wrong. His outlook on life is amazing, and yeah, I guess he's kinda cute, but I'm just not into him. He's one of my best friends and always will be, but I don't think I would ever date him."

The women were silent for a moment, as though considering her words. "All right, come on," Cora said. "The tea is ready and those reports aren't going to write themselves."

Amid the groans from the other two, Liam hurried back to his room before he was caught eavesdropping. He dropped onto his bed and thought about what he'd learned.

Sara Ryder, the Pathfinder, his ideal woman, had rejected him without ever knowing how he felt about her. It stung, but Liam was man enough to respect her decision. She had said that she considered him one of her best friends. At least he could still be in her life that way. It would have to be enough.

With that thought in mind, Liam rolled over and resumed trying to sleep.


	7. Date Night

Chapter 7: Date Night

_Reyes and Sara take some well-earned time for themselves..._

"Where are we going?" Sara asked.

Reyes gave her one of his trademark smiles. "I told you. It's a surprise."

"No, you said we were going on an actual date for once, not having drinks at Tartarus and going back to your place. You didn't say anything about going off-planet."

Sara and Reyes had been seeing each other for more than three months now. However, finding time to spend together was difficult when one was a Pathfinder and one was the secret ruler of Kadara. When Reyes had called the _Tempest_ to invite Sara out for a date, she had jumped at the chance.

Reyes chuckled. "So eager. Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll like this. I promise."

Sara sighed and crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat. A few hours after leaving Kadara, Reyes had blindfolded her and made her promise not to take it off during the rest of the journey. Sara guessed it had been almost half an hour ago, and she was bored and getting tired of sitting in darkness. At least she had good company.

Some time later, she felt the shuttle shake as it entered the atmosphere of a planet, then the ride smoothed out. A few minutes later, she felt the gentle bump as the ship touched down. "Can I take the blindfold off now?"

She heard Reyes laugh and felt him loosen the knot behind her head. "There."

Sara pulled the fabric off and blinked in the sudden sunlight. "Eos?" She turned to Reyes, only to find that his seat was empty.

"Come on. We have to hurry."

He was standing by the back door, a pack thrown over his shoulder. He held out a hand. Sara came over and took it as they left the shuttle. She was about to ask what the rush was when she noticed the view.

Reyes had set the shuttle down on a sprawling plateau, far from Prodromos or the other colony sites. The sky was a brilliant, endless field of blue. Ahead of them, the sea stretched for miles, turned to liquid gold by the setting sun.

Sara was awestruck. "Reyes...it's beautiful."

When he didn't respond, she turned around to see him laying a blanket out on the ground. He sat down and patted the spot beside him. "I found this place last time I was on Eos and thought it would be the perfect place for a picnic."

Sara laughed as he reached into his bag and yelled out a package of wrapped sandwiches and a bottle. "Is that Mount Milgrom?" she asked, remembering their first date.

"Of course. Sadly, it's not as fine as the bottle we borrowed from Sloane, but it was the finest I could find." Reyes poured two glasses while Sara unwrapped the sandwiches. He handed her one and held up his own. "To us?"

She touched his glass. "To Andromeda. We probably would never have met if we hadn't both come out here."

"To Andromeda, then."

They ate their simple meal as the sun set in front of them. By the time the light was gone, they had finished the sandwiches and most of the bottle of whiskey and were laying side by side on the blanket. Sara reached over and took his hand as the first stars came out. "I love you, Reyes."

Reyes pulled her close. "I love you, Sara." He kissed her deeply. Sara returned his kiss as she reached or the hem of his shirt.

They stayed wrapped in each other's arms all night, watching the stars move across the sky. When the sun came up, the spell was broken, but they had lifetime memories of a magical night together.


	8. He Started It!

Chapter 8: He Started It!

_Drack and Sara just wanted a drink. Other people had different plans..._

Loud music assaulted Sara's ears as she stepped into Kralla's Song. The Kadara bar was filled with its usual assortment of exiles and Outcasts, along with the occasional Resistance member. She spotted Drack by the counter, standing next to an unconscious human male on the floor. "Do I even want to know?" she asked as she walked up.

"Eh? Oh, this?" Drack used his foot to shove the guy out of the way. "Some idiot who got talked into a headbutting contest with me by his buddies. Hey, Umi. Drink for Ryder."

Sara joined him at the counter. "Some buddies." She was about to pick up the drink the bartender slid across to her when her shoulder was shoved hard from behind.

"Hey! You!"

Sara turned around to see three men standing behind her. They looked ready for a fight. Umi, the asari bartender, gave an annoyed groan. "Not in my bar."

The man in the lead poked Sara's shoulder. "I know you. Nexus. Your people hurt my friends." He glanced at his buddies. "Now we're gonna hurt you!"

Drack took a drink. "Looks like someone wants a fight. You up for it, Ryder?"

Sara glanced at him. "You know I am." She turned to face the spokesman and stepped closer. "You start this, I'm going to finish it."

The man took a step closer. He was easily a head taller than her. "Yeah? You and what army?"

"I don't need an army, " Sara said confidently, crossing her arms. "I've got a krogan."

Behind her, Drack finished his drink and slowly turned around, standing to his full height. He cracked his neck. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

The man scoffed and took a step back. For a moment, Sara thought he was actually going to back down. Then he took a swing at her.

Thanks to her father, Sara was well-trained in hand-to-hand combat. She easily dodged the blow, getting an arm under the guy and throwing him over her shoulder and onto the counter. She blocked another punch and hit her attacker with a solid right hook while Drack headbutted another man across the room.

Sara's attacker was still on his feet and punched her in the face. She grabbed the counter for support and lashed out with a kick that threw him back until he crashed into a table. An angara picked up a broken bottle and came at her, swinging wildly. Sara ducked under his arm and grabbed the back of his shirt, throwing him into the counter, where Umi smashed a bottle over his head.

Drack grabbed a turian and threw him up onto the second counter, dragging him the length until he flew off the end. A salarian tackled Sara and tried to punch her several times, but Drack grabbed him and threw him across the room. He pulled Sara to her feet.

Across the room, several Outcasts stood up and faced them. An asari finished her drink and threw the bottle on the floor. Sara and Drack looked at each other, nodded, and charged.

Several minutes later, Umi slid a bottle of whiskey and a couple of glasses across to them. Unconscious bodies littered the room. Sara leaned against the counter to catch her breath while Drack poured the whiskey. She examined her torn knuckles. "That...was fucking awesome."

Drack laughed and handed her a drink. "That it was. How's your face?"

Sara gingerly touched her bruised cheekbone. "Hurts a little."

"I bet." They tossed back the whiskey. "Vaul's almighty quads," Drack said. "I'm getting too old for this shit."

"You? Never."

"Hey, Ryder, do me a favor. Don't tell Kesh about this."

Sara smiled and refilled her glass. "I've got you covered."

"That you do, ru'shan. I just...don't want her to worry."

"Your secret's safe with me, Drack." Sara finished her drink and set the glass down. "I've gotta go. I've got a meeting with Reyes about some missing cargo." She patted the krogan's shoulder. "Let's do this again sometime."

"Count on it."


	9. I Scream, You Scream

Chapter 9: I Scream, You Scream

_The Cultural Center VI says humans love ice cream. But how far will they go to get it?_

"Look at this!" I've found something huge!"

Sara looked up as Suvi burst into the Pathfinder quarters. "What's up, Suvi?"

"Read this!" The science officer shoved a data pad in her face.

Sara took it and read the list of ingredients it showed. "Processed milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, salt, sugar...ice cream?" She looked up with wide eyes. "Seriously? We can make ice cream?"

"I know! Isn't it exciting? When can we start?"

Sara looked eagerly at the data pad again. She and Suvi both had a sweet tooth, and ice cream was one of the things they missed the most from the Milky Way. Being able to taste it again would be a dream come true. "Okay, first thing we need to do is find the ingredients. Salt is easy. The rest...hmm..."

"We have that enrich milk that I found last time we were on Aya," Suvi offered. "We should be able to make cream with it."

"_There is a plant on Eos that has an aroma similar to vanilla, Pathfinder,"_ SAM suggested. "_However, there may be-"_

"That's perfect!" Sara cried. "As for the sugar, we might be able to find something in Kadara Port."

"Should I have Vetra get in touch with her contacts?" Suvi asked.

Sara shook her head. "No. Let's keep it a secret from everyone and surprise them with homemade ice cream!"

A few days later, they had all their ingredients. They hadn't been able to find some of them, so they had substituted Heleus materials. Everyone knew something was up, but Sara and Suvi refused to say anything. They locked themselves in the kitchen for their first attempt at Heleus ice cream.

"You know, Ryder," Suvi said when they had everything mixed together, "this doesn't look like I thought it would."

"Yeah, I think it's supposed to be thicker." She slid the bowl into the freezer. "I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll let it freeze through the day, then have ice cream with dinner tonight."

Suvi clasped her hands together. "I can't wait!"

That evening, when everyone had finished dinner, Sara brought out their surprise. "Look what we made!" She placed the bowl in the middle of the table.

Everyone stared at the smooth, yellowish mass in the bowl. "What is it?"

"It's ice cream!"

Gil poked at it with a spoon. It clinked. "I think you need less ice and more cream."

Sara grabbed a scoop. "Oh, shut up. It'll be fine." She started trying to scoop some out, only to find that the ice cream was, indeed, more ice than cream.

"You didn't use an ice cream maker, did you?" Vetra asked.

Suvi shook her head. "We couldn't find one."

"Is it really that important?" Sara asked, finally chipping off a small piece.

"_An ice cream maker is used to simultaneously freeze the mixture while churning it so as to aerate the mixture and keep the ice crystals small,"_ SAM said. "_Without one, the mixture must be repeatedly frozen and stirred every thirty minutes for at least six hours."_

"Unlike this," Liam said, picking up the piece. He popped in in his mouth, then immediately spit it out. He grabbed a glass of water and gulped it down. "What the hell is in that thing?"

"You okay, Liam?" Vetra asked.

"No. My mouth is on fire. That's supposed to be ice cream?"

"_The plant the Pathfinder used has an aroma similar to vanilla from the Milky Way. However, more detailed scans show that the plant contains trace amounts of bromelain, an enzyme commonly found in pineapples that causes the breakdown of proteins. It can also cause a burning sensation on the tongue and roof of the mouth."_

"Oh, _now_ you tell me," Sara muttered.

"No way I'm eating that," Vetra said. She left the room.

Suvi picked up the bowl. "Sorry, guys. We were trying to surprise everyone with a treat from back home."

Liam refilled his water glass. "It's okay. We know you didn't mean any harm."

"Yeah, it's not like you intended to poison Liam," Gil joked.

Vetra came back in with a plastic tub. "I made this just in case yours didn't work out." She opened the tub to reveal a mound of perfectly-made ice cream. "It was pretty easy to figure out what you guys were up to, so I decided to try it for myself."

"Except it looks like you did it the _right_ way," Gil added.

"Vetra, I have never been so glad for your back-channel connections," Sara said.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the sweet treat, especially Sara and Suvi. Gil and the others teased them for months afterward, but the incident provided some much-needed amusement for the _Tempest_ crew and drew them even closer together.


	10. Promises, Promises

Chapter 10: Promises, Promises

_Sara and Reyes have a friendly discussion about the promises he made..._

_To: Reyes Vidal_

_From: Sara Ryder_

_Subject: Worries_

_Just had an interesting conversation with Liam. Apparently, my crew is worried. They want me to be careful with you, since you lied about the whole "Charlatan" thing. I promised them that I trust you as much as I trust any of them._

_Please don't make me regret that promise._

_Sara_

* * *

_To: Sara Ryder_

_From: Reyes Vidal_

_Subject: Re:Worries_

_I swear on everything I hold sacred that I will never break your trust again. I told you that I don't want anymore secrets between us, and I meant it._

_I love you._

_Reyes_

* * *

_To: Reyes Vidal_

_From: Sara Ryder_

_Subject: Re:Re:Worries_

_Thank you, Reyes._

_I love you, too._

_Sara_

* * *

_To: Reyes Vidal_

_From: Sara Ryder_

_Subject: BTW..._

_What __**do**_ _you hold sacred?_

* * *

_To: Sara Ryder_

_From: Reyes Vidal_

_Subject: Re:BTW..._

_645-year old Mount Milgrom Whiskey? _


	11. Movie Night

Chapter 11: Movie Night

_The _Tempest _crew deserves some time off. Might as well make a night of it..._

"This is gonna be awesome!" Peebee squealed.

Sara pulled her out of the way as Jaal and Reyes carried Liam's worn couch into the Pathfinder's quarters. "It'd better be, after all the shit we've been through lately. We deserve some time to relax."

Reyes lowered his end of the couch and glanced over his shoulder. "I can think of some ways to make you relax," he said with a suggestive smile.

Sara blushed and Peebee gagged. "Oh, please," the asari said. "Save it for the bedroom."

"Are we not in the bedroom?" Jaal asked, confused.

Peebee rolled her eyes. "It's an idiom, Jaal. It means they need to save the mushy stuff for when they're alone."

"Yes, please," Liam said, entering the room with an armload of snacks. "Nothing ruins a good action movie like two lovebirds whispering the entire time."

Reyes slid an arm around Sara's waist. "Who says we'd be whispering?"

Liam shook his head. "Anyway, we've got everything set up. Vetra's bringing more snacks, Drack and Lexi have the drinks, and Jaal and Gil got the sound system hooked up."

Sara grabbed Reyes' hand and plopped in the middle of the couch. "I still can't believe everything we had to do to make this happen. "

"You make is sound as though it was a pain in the ass," Drack said, sitting on her other side.

"Well, let's see," Sara said, counting them off on her fingers. "We had to go to the Nexus to get a movie database for Liam, then to Aya so Suvi could make snacks, then to Kadara Port to get popcorn for the rest of us-"

"Which I could have gotten for free if you'd told me," Reyes interjected.

"Whatever. Then it was back to Aya to get the components for the sound system, then to the Nexus again for the alcohol Lexi needed, then back to Kadara Port to scrounge up a _better_ movie. So, yeah, it was a pain in the ass."

Reyes chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as the rest of the crew came in and found places. "Look at it this way, sweetheart. At least it will be a night to remember."

Sara laid her head on his shoulder. "That's for sure."

"All right, people," Liam said, getting comfortable on the arm of the couch. "Last chance for bathroom breaks. Any takers? No? Alright, let's get this started." He hit the button on his omni-tool and the movie started playing.

About halfway through the movie, after sitting through more than an hour of overly dramatic action scenes, Liam paused the film. "All right, folks, we can sit through a training monologue with what many critics call 'excessive turian flexing-'"

"No such thing!" Vetra insisted from her spot behind the couch.

Kallo was sitting on the floor beside Peebee. He turned around to face her. "There really is."

"...or," Liam continued, "we can fast-forward to a ship crashing into an asteroid crashing into a moon."

"Fast-forward to this crash," Jaal voted.

Drack shook his head. "Nah, montage. Don't cut bits out."

Cora was reclined on the floor, leaning against the couch. "I'd go for the crash."

Sara shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing some turian flexing."

Reyes squeezed her shoulder. "I vote crash."

"You're just doing that to be contrary..."

Liam held his finger over his omni-tool. "Fast-forwarding to the action scene, going once, going twice..." He hit the button.

"Boo!" Vetra called.

He restarted the movie just as a huge shop exploded on screen. The sound system that Jaal and Gil had put in made it feel as though the explosion was right in front of them.

"But...it's vacuum," Kallo pointed out. "The ship explosion would be silent."

"I hope that's not the voice of experience talking," Gil said.

Liam pointed at the screen. "Did you know they actually blew up a derelict for that shot? Guess they wanted their money's worth."

On screen, the main character prepared a strike team. "My strike team will hit the enemy cruiser, General. Force is the only thing these fanatics understand!"

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Too bad the script wasn't caught in the blast."

"I know, right?" Sara agreed. "It's terrible."

"Why a strike team? Torpedo the cruiser!" Cora yelled at the screen.

"That's overkill," Gil argued. "Get one engineer aboard, cut life support and engines, problem solved."

Cora leaned back against the couch again. "And leave them stuck on a hostile ship? One torpedo, over by lunch."

Sara looked up at the ceiling. "Oh, my God, it's like watching movies with my dad and brother."

"Well, how would you do it?" Reyes asked.

Sara snuggled against his side. "I'd just seduce him." She leaned in and whispered, "Don't you think a charm offensive would be more...rewarding?"

Reyes answered her with a deep kiss. Liam made a sound of disgust. "As disgusting as you two are, that could work," he said, picturing the scene. "Classic irresistible hero, pretend to be captured..."

Jaal seemed to understand where he was going. "Beat-up armor, enticing scars, soulful eyes..."

"Yeah, yeah, the old 'dinner and drinks to show off my villainy', they get cozy..."

"And then-strike!" Liam socked him in the shoulder. "Or not. Why spoil the evening?"

"Speaking of," Peebee said, standing up, "time for another round. Anyone for a Varron's Jaw? Or a Euphemistically Delicious?"

Suvi shushed her. "Wait, listen!"

Peebee sat back down and they all watched as one of the characters died on screen. "Teranus? Teranus! Nooooo!"

Liam sighed. "He was a sidekick. They die like goldfish."

"No acting like over-acting," Cora said dryly. "Even Ryder could do better."

"If I wanted to," Sara shot back. Everyone looked at her. "What?"

"Oh, really?" Vetra asked skeptically.

Kallo stood up. "Come on, show us. I'll be dead for you."

Sara handed her drink to Reyes while Liam paused the movie. She followed Kallo to the area in front of the screen. He laid down on the floor while Sara knelt beside him, facing the others.

She thought about her father's death, about all the things she never got to tell him. The thoughts gave her the emotion she needed for her demonstration. "Kallo...Kallo, please," she said, pushing herself to the verge of tears, "...not now. Not when we're so close..."

"Ryder...you must go on..." Kallo gasped. He feigned dying in front of her.

Sara ran her hand in front of his face, pretending to close his eyes. "It won't end this way. It can't. There's no justice in this galaxy...but there will be." She lowered her head.

After a moment, she heard the rest of the crew applaud their improvised scene. She helped Kallo to his feet and they both took a bow.

"Shit, kid, that was actually pretty good," Drack said.

"Yeah, you weren't kidding," Cora agreed.

Sara and Kallo reclaimed their seats and their drinks. "I took a few acting classes in high school. Didn't think I still had it in me."

Liam restarted the movie. The occasional conversations and comments continued through the second half of the film. By the end, Sara was half-asleep on Reyes' shoulder. On her other side, Drack was snoring softly, his head on Lexi's shoulder. Kallo and Peebee were leaning against each other, nodding off. On screen, the two main characters were pledging their love to each other.

"...our hearts are one. No enemy fleet, no sea of stars can ever separate us again."

She felt Reyes' arm tighten around her shoulders and felt him kiss the top of her head. She took his hand and squeezed it.

The movie characters were right. Finding someone to love to the stars and back made everything worthwhile.


	12. It Ain't Over Yet

Chapter 12: It Ain't Over Yet

_Meridian is won. The party's started. But Sara's ready to get back out there..._

Landing Day had been a huge success. The party that had been thrown in honor of their defeat of the kett was starting to wind down. It had been amazing to see everyone in such high spirits.

Sara looked around the _Hyperion's_ habitation deck. There were still members of the Nexus crew standing around chatting with newly-awakened Initiative members. The crew of the _Tempest_, along with Scott, Reyes, and other friends and family, was gathered in one corner, laughing as they exchanged stories of their adventures.

She was about to slip away to take another look at their new home when she heard someone come up behind her. "Making a quiet exit?" Raeka asked. They were joined by Sarissa and Avitus.

Sara followed her glance over to the crew. "I'll let them have their fun. It's no fun having the boss at the party."

Raeka paused. "Have you asked them? I'd wager that most would disagree."

Sara turned to see her crew, her friends, coming over to stand behind her. "We tried to think of some way to honor what you did. Some protocol," Raeka continued. "There isn't one."

Avitus stepped forward. "Your father invented this role, but you defined it."

"You did what everyone thought was impossible," Sarissa said. "You found home."

Sara looked around at the others. Everyone was nodding in agreement. "Meridian is humanity's home, and maybe one for all of Heleus. We did that." She glanced at her brother. "But I'm the Pathfinder. I should be out there on the _Tempest_ with all of you."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cora asked.

"Hey, I was going to say that," Liam protested.

Sara laughed. "All right, everyone get your gear and wrap things up. We'll head out in thirty. We've got work to do."

The crew scattered to say their goodbyes. Sara turned to Scott. "What about it? Harry released you from the med-bay. And we've got an extra bunk."

Scott nodded. "Are you kidding? I've been dying to get out there ever since we arrived. And you've been exploring without me. I need to catch up." He glanced over in Gil's direction. "Plus, it seems like you're traveling with some pretty interesting people."

"I knew you guys would get along. All right. Go get your stuff, little brother. I'll give you the grand tour as soon as you're ready."

Scott ran off to pack his things. Sara turned to Reyes. "What about you? Are you catching a shuttle, or can we give you a ride to Kadara?"

Reyes took her hands. "Do you have room for one more?"

"What?"

"If it's alright with you, I thought I'd come along for a while. See the galaxy with the woman I love."

"What about Kadara? And the Collective?"

Reyes shrugged. "Kadara is in good hands with Keema. And most of the work I do with the Collective can be done remotely. Besides, it's time for the Charlatan to return to the shadows."

Sara smiled and kissed him. "I think we can find room for you."

"What about Tann? I think he would understand your brother, but won't he object to an extra person?"

"Fuck Tann. Let's go home."


End file.
